The present application relates generally to an improved data processing apparatus and method and more specifically to mechanisms for a power distribution device communications platform.
In known data centers, power is supplied to elements within a data center via one or more utility providers as well as additional backup systems which may be comprised of a backup generator, uninterruptable power supplies, or the like. In addition to power being delivered to the powered information technology (IT) equipment within the data center, communication in to, out of and between elements is provided using numerous cables to interconnect the various elements of the system together. While the communication cables are mainly for carrying data related to the business of the data center, using the communication cables to also carry maintenance data that is used to maintain the powered IT equipment has limitations. While IT personnel in a data center have privileges and permissions necessary to access the communications infrastructure in a data center, such permissions are not always granted to facilities personnel. The facility personnel not having permissions limits the management tasks that facilities personnel may perform without special access to the communications and server systems. Also, given that facilities personnel offer vital electricity resources and cooling resources to the data center IT equipment, granting facilities personnel access to the actual power allocation and usage information throughout the data center by direct access to this data at the power distribution level makes more sense, instead of escalating this information through software stack, complicating the power management infrastructure.